Performance indicators of library workers. Abstract indicators and criteria for the effectiveness of library technologies. Sample list of library services
Federal State Educational Institution
higher professional education
Chelyabinsk State Academy of Culture and Arts
Institute of Documentary Communications
Department of Library and Information Activities
Information Technology
abstract
INDICATORS AND CRITERIA
EFFICIENCY
LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY
Completed by: Nemchinova O.M.
group E 350
Checked by: Matveeva I.Yu.
Chelyabinsk
2011
Content
Introduction………………………………………………………………………...3
1. Assessing the effectiveness of library activities………………………..6
2. Definition of social efficiency library activities……9 3. Definition economic efficiency
library activities……………………………………………. ..eleven
4. System of library technology performance indicators…………13
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….16
References……………………………………………………………..17
Introduction
Within the framework of library science, a new scientific
direction – technological. Library technology as a science and academic discipline still just being created. This - component production process. Currently, not only the technologization of various aspects of production activity is taking place, but also profound changes in the technology itself. The modern level of production also puts new content into the concept of technology. Therefore, technology is the science of economic methods and processes for the production of materials and products. And library technology is Practical activities for the production and provision of information products and services to library users; applied scientific knowledge and academic discipline about technological processes, norms and rules of library production. In each library, technology is tied to specific conditions and capabilities, but in the organization of technological processes it is always possible to identify a reserve for their improvement and change.
Library technology as a scientific direction in the structure of library science, focused on a systematic understanding of library production, uses the methodological potential of general technology as a theoretical platform. The scientific principles, laws of structure and methodology, goals, objectives, functions, relationships developed by technology have theoretical and practical significance. Technological support should be considered as a form of library management, and the technological subsystem - as an integral part of the library. Basic processes of library production activities: technological cycles, processes, operations. The quality of technological processes of a library largely depends on the resource and regulatory support of library technology. These include documentary resources, technical, linguistic and software tools, human resources, regulatory documents, regulatory, organizational and administrative, technological, scientific and methodologicaldocumentation. The end result of a library's technological activities is its information products and services.
Libraries are one of the producers of information products and services that ensure public use of socially significant documentary information.
Yu. N. Stolyarov defined the standard range of library services:
- providing the subscriber with the use of the library collection, reference and search apparatus, library premises, equipment and furniture;
assistance in finding the necessary information about documents;
search and delivery of required documents to the reader,
informing about documents relevant to the subscriber’s needs and recommending them,
ensuring communication of users in the field of sources of interest to them among themselves and with specialists,
education of library and bibliographic literacy,
reading culture.
If it is possible to quantify efficiency and statistically process measurement results, then it is possible to evaluate library products, talk about the effectiveness of the technology used, and make informed management decisions. Thus, library technologies need a system of functional criteria and indicators that allow them to objectively evaluate their work and effectively manage current activities and development.
The imperfection or absence of methods and systems of direct measurements in libraries poses the problem of developing and applying systems of functional criteria and indicators based on them, specific to library technology. Research into the effectiveness of library technology has only recently begun.
After a long pause, at the end of the seventies of the last century there was a growing interest in the issue of performance assessment. Theoretical studies of the qualitative aspects of library activities have been hampered by the lack of a clear approach. Attempts were made to search for methods based on the statistical approach (Yu.N. Stolyarov, V.M. Motylev, etc.), at the same time, an understanding was formed that the statistical approach to cultural phenomena is not able to determine those cultural realities that are beyond economic indicators. The latter are also not always decisive, for example, when assessing the mutual influence between society and the library, changes in the light of this mutual influence of socio-ethical, aesthetic and moral norms. Therefore, it is still difficult to evaluate at least the main components of culture realized through libraries - education, communications, information, creativity, cultural heritage, etc. Thus, an analysis of the development of the problem under study shows that the issues of measuring the effectiveness of library activities have not yet found a final solution.
There is still no common point of view not only on the method of obtaining evaluation criteria and indicators, but also on their content. As a result, in the practical activities of libraries, formal criteria of library statistics are used to analyze and control library and information processes and systems, which poorly take into account the specifics of these systems.
The issues of assessing library activities, and in particular serving readers, do not yet have an unambiguous interpretation. There is a service evaluation system, the main indicators of which are the number of readers, the number of book issues, etc., and does not focus on achieving final results: providing assistance to the subscriber, satisfying his needs, and their development. This necessitates the search for more adequate indicators.
1. Assessing the effectiveness of library activities
In everyday work, when assessing the effectiveness of library activities, both library management and each employee should use indicators and criteria for the effectiveness of library technology. The technological component of management is assessing the effectiveness of quality management of technological processes. Multifaceted and meaningful work on managing the quality of products and services is carried out with the active participation of the library's technology service.
Quality management includes three stages:
- quality planning;
quality control;
quality improvement.
- defining the mission of the library and the main group of its users;
identifying their existing and anticipated needs;
setting long-term goals and short-term objectives;
creation of services adequate to the needs at the highest possible level;
measuring performance and comparing it with set goals;
creating conditions for continuous improvement of work efficiency;
creating an atmosphere of attention to the needs and requests of the user and providing high quality service.
According to these postulates Yu.N. Stolyarov proposed to consider the concept of “efficiency” in different senses:
1) as the degree of influence of the library on the external environment of society, expressed in satisfying the progressive spiritual needs of readers;
2) as an excess of income over expenses;
3) as the ratio of benefits to costs;
4) as the amount of benefit from any activity.
Stolyarov Yu.N. introduced the concept of “performance criterion”, referring to quantitative and qualitative indicators of library services.
Other library scientists (for example, A.S. Arzukhanov, E.A. Fenelonov), speaking about efficiency, distinguished economic efficiency as the ratio of results and costs and functional efficiency as the ratio of goals and results.
In domestic library science, the concept of “efficiency” has not yet received an unambiguous definition. In the context of the introduction of new information technologies and the spread of modern market relations, it seems insufficient to take only methods and criteria that have been proven over the years as the basis for determining efficiency. Well-known categories, such as “size of fund”, “number of readers”, “book circulation”, “readability”, “circulation”, etc., will not fill this definition. The concept of efficiency will also be distorted by purely arithmetic calculations of material costs.
To determine the effectiveness of activities and select priorities in work, some foreign libraries use economic and mathematical methods that allow them to decide what types of services and in what volume the library will provide to different categories of readers, showing how to distribute input resources, cash, funds, equipment between certain types services. Economic and mathematical methods make it possible to establish the relationship between economic effect provided services and inputs. Their use in determining the efficiency of libraries allows achieving maximum economic effect within the framework of budgetary constraints and available technologies. Some of the methods can be used in domestic practice.
It should be taken into account that efficiency refers to the level of compliance of the tasks solved by the library with the set goals, and quality refers to the comfort of service and the degree of satisfaction of user requests. In this regard, it would be logical to determine not only and not so much economic efficiency, but functional and especially social efficiency. Economic efficiency is expressed in library income, reduction in production costs, reduction in the cost and time of delivering information to users.
Currently, there are many characteristics used as evaluation criteria and indicators of the processes and results of library technology. V.M. Motylev proposes a definition of the concepts “indicator” as “a certain measurable property of an object, used to quantitatively characterize another, not directly measurable property” and “criterion” as “an evaluation indicator, the value of which is accepted as the ratio “better” - “worse” when developing management decisions "
Data collection for calculating quantitative indicators is carried out using the following methods:
- statistical (results of library statistics);
expert (assessments of leading experts);
organoleptic (analysis of signs using the senses);
sociological (analysis of user opinions);
experimental (creation of artificial conditions).
2. Definition of social efficiency
library activities
The social side of the effectiveness of library services expresses the correspondence between the goals of meeting the needs of readers and the library services actually provided to readers (in content, quality, form, quantity). Let's call this ratio effectiveness; it reflects the degree of satisfaction and development of readers' needs. When implementing the library service function, the social efficiency of libraries is demonstrated. New criteria are emerging that evaluate the social significance of a library.
Along with library services, the concept of “library orientation” appeared, the main task of which is to facilitate the user’s adaptation to new library conditions, instill in him the skills of independently searching for information and acquiring new knowledge. When performing this function, a new type of efficiency arises, associated with the process of humanization of the library as a social entity. This efficiency is determined by the following evaluative terms: “social value of library services”, “library communication”, “library environment”, “comfort of service”, “goodwill towards the reader”, “friendliness”, etc. The economic side of the efficiency of library services is the ratio of services provided (in terms of nomenclature, quality, quantity) and costs (labor, material, etc.) to obtain the final results. An important component of efficiency is quality. We define the quality of a specific service as the totality of its properties that ensure the satisfaction and development of the specific needs of readers. How to measure the quality of library services, the effectiveness and efficiency of library services?
To evaluate them, criteria and indicators are used. Some authors put forward individual elements or combinations of elements included in the statistical reporting libraries (number of readers, book lending, etc.) or relative indicators (readability, circulation, attendance, book supply, percentage of coverage, etc.); others have attempted to create a composite index reflecting library performance based on some of the indicators mentioned above; a number of librarians singled out as a criterion the complete satisfaction of readers' requests with the least labor costs for library workers.
We propose to consider the completeness of satisfaction and development of public and individual needs for library services, based on available resources, as a criterion for the effectiveness of library services. Completeness depends on the extent to which librarians, in accordance with the fields of service, provide such types of services, of such quality and in such quantity that meet the needs of users. But the completeness of meeting the needs of readers is limited by the materials, financial and other capabilities that the library has.
It is impossible to assess the effectiveness of a library without taking into account the so-called subjective data that describes the different directions and types of its activities, without analyzing and comparing what the library does with what it should do (functions) and what it wants to achieve (goals).
For example, it is possible to reliably assess the compliance of the formed collection with the needs of library users only on the basis of data on these needs and on funds for the acquisition of relevant literature. Assess the quality and degree of user satisfaction with reference and bibliographic or information services is possible if the library has a well-stocked collection, a reference apparatus, and sufficient technical means to receive and transmit information, specially trained personnel.
3. Determination of economic efficiency
library activities
Economic efficiency – achieving maximum results with fixed costs of all types of resources or optimizing (reducing) costs to achieve the planned level of satisfaction of information needs.
In the library field, several approaches have been developed to determine the cost-effectiveness of library technology.
1. Determination of costs per unit of product or service (the process of producing a product or service, which at a given level of quality is less expensive).
Application of this approach requires a clear definition of what results, costs and indicators will be used in determining effectiveness.
You can use basic indicators (book lending, references, visits) or indicators of the volume of products produced in the library and services provided.
Resource provision indicators:
- library area,
- volume of the fund,
- headcount,
- annual working time,
-number of computer equipment units.
Cost indicators:
- annual budget of the library,
-separate items of labor costs,
- acquisition of the fund,
-purchase of technical means and equipment,
- consumables, etc.,
- off-budget revenues.
Cost indicators per unit of product (service):
- circulation of the book stock, specific labor intensity, specific consumption of materials;
-workload on the librarian (by type of work);
- coefficient of intensity of use of technical means and equipment, etc.
Cost and profitability act as basic cost indicators for paid services. Cost is the monetary equivalent of all types of costs for the production of a product or service. Profitability is the ratio between income from paid services and the costs of their preparation and provision.
2. Comparison of the costs of information services with the characteristics of the effect from the use of information provided by the service system. The use of this approach is used in the field of information support for scientific and technical developments by special libraries, bodies and NTI services.
3. Determination of socially necessary costs for the production of information products and services. Efficiency measurement is a comparison of the social norm with the actual cost. The principle of calculating socially necessary costs is applicable to assess the effectiveness of various types of library activities in the presence of regulatory system indicators. The implementation of this approach is hampered by the lack of reliable regulatory support for library technology.
4. System of performance indicators
library technology
New types of work and services appear, familiar functions are adjusted, new resources are involved in production, including modern equipment, telecommunications and electronic means, personnel require additional training, etc. Consequently, there is a need to more adequately evaluate the results of activities.
This requires not one, but a system of indicators that together would provide a more complete understanding of the place and role of the library, the efficiency of its use of resources, the compliance of its activities with public needs, i.e., the social effect.
For example, if a library functions as a public information and cultural center, then it will be most important to assess its demand among the population interested in reference and information support for various issues of life.
Performance assessment should also include results for such specific (production) indicators as:
volume of reference literature and publicly available local documents
values;
completeness of problem-oriented databases;
conditions for the availability of services - the availability of interactive media,
telephone lines, spacious premises for public
events;
number of personnel with help desk skills,
knowledgeable about local issues, etc.
The social effect of the activities of such a specialized library should be determined by the number of visits per capita (attendance), the number of certificates completed per capita, including those based on the use of telecommunications (number of services).
Among management structures, there is an opinion that the automation of library processes, as well as the introduction of library services based on modern equipment (copying, electronic delivery, etc.) lead to a reduction in the amount of work of librarians and, therefore, to the need to reduce library staff.
However, new technologies, while changing the nature and content of work, do not at all lead to a reduction in its volume. For example, satisfying a reader’s request received from outside the library (virtual request) requires evaluation by at least two indicators, since in terms of labor costs it is comparable to servicing a traditional visit to the library and at the same time with satisfying a specific library and information service (performing certificate or providing a copy of the document via electronic delivery).
The expansion of the performance indicators of libraries using automated technologies in their services (number of accesses to databases, hours of work with databases or on the Internet, number of requests via e-mail, etc.) should be considered as a consequence of a higher level of library production and library service.
In general, the value of any indicator, including traditional ones - “book circulation” or “attendance”, is influenced by many factors. For a library with a storage function or with a focus on a special collection containing documents that are not in high demand, the indicator of use of the fund (book lending) may depend on the intended use of documents, and on the preferences of users when working with documents, and on the conditions created in library (equipment of reading places, opening hours, availability of open access to documents), etc.
The indicator values of even the smallest library should be interpreted only in the context of its goals, objectives and functions, direction of work, composition and quality of resources. It is these factors that lead to different results in libraries.
Indicators that determine the characteristics of the library should include such characteristics as:
its place in the hierarchy of the library network (CB, division or branch of the library, library point, etc.);
features of the service area;
participation in corporate systems, operating hours, etc.
According to L.V. Kulikova, a balanced system of library performance indicators should have the following set of characteristics:
Resource related indicators (cost indicators)
The total volume of documents per capita (book supply);
annual growth rates of funds (renewability);
quantity electronic documents as part of funds (volume of electronic
libraries);
number of computer terminals per capita;
number of problem-oriented databases (sites) available
users;
electronic library catalog (number of bibliographic records);
total library resources (participation in corporate networks);
premises (sq. m) per capita;
ratio of number of employees to population.
Metrics related to users and services
coverage of residents (or certain categories) by library
service;
number of book issues per capita;
number of issues per fund unit (circulation);
number of certificates per capita (including virtual);
number of book lending and certificates per hour of library operation;
number of visits to the library (physically and virtually);
number of hits to electronic resources;
number of cultural and educational events;
number of the most significant exhibitions.
Expense related indicators
expenses for current activities;
expenses for specific services, events;
expenses for maintaining the library;
personnel costs (taking into account functional responsibilities).
Indicators for assessing library performance
etc.................
Russian Library Association
Public Libraries Section
ASSESSMENT OF EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY OF WORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY
(plastic bag teaching materials to help
implementation of " Model standard activities of the public library")
During the audit process, available information about situations within the library is collected and structured from available sources such as statistical records, surveys, questionnaires, etc. The audit, as a rule, affects a complex of interrelated areas and groups of factors (technological, economic management, etc.). A system of indicators is used as a toolkit, which together provide a more complete understanding of the place and role of the library, the compliance of its activities with public needs, and sociocultural effectiveness.
The results of performance and development assessment depend on the choice of indicators, i.e., on the priorities adopted by the library.
The following is an indicative list of indicators/indicators
can be used in the process of comprehensive analysis of the library’s capabilities and assessment of the level of its readiness to meet the needs of users and provide them with quality services.
Sample list indicators/indicators for analysis
and assessmentslibrary work
Resources, access, infrastructure1.1. Funds
1.2. Access
1.3. Equipment
1.4. Staff
2.Usage
2.1. Funds
2.2. Access
2.3. Equipment
2.4. General issues
3. Efficiency
3.1. Funds
3.2. Access
3.3. Staff
3.4. General issues
4. Development potential
4.1. Funds
4.2. Staff
4.3. General issues
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1. Resources, access, infrastructure This group of indicators/indicators measures the condition, sufficiency and availability of library resources (funds, staff, equipment). |
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Indicator/indicator |
Statement of the question and analysis of the situation |
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1.1 Funds |
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Availability and accessibility of publications for which requests are received |
Do libraries actually own (or license) the publications that readers request? Are these publications available in the library (or are they on hand or incorrectly placed in the collection) |
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Share in general fund libraries of publications in high demand |
A sufficient number of publications in the library, which receive the most frequent requests from readers |
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Search performance in the reference and bibliographic apparatus |
Reader survey: do readers find the right publication or material on a specific topic in the catalog? |
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Share of unsatisfied requests |
Analysis of the compliance of purchased publications with the library’s acquisition profile and user needs. The library's ability to purchase licenses for simultaneous use of databases in order to fully satisfy requests |
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1.2. Access |
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Share of publications listed in the catalog but not found in the collection |
Correct placement of publications in the library collection: are the publications in their place on the shelf? |
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Promptness of providing the publication: time (min., hours) required to provide the reader with the publication he ordered from closed storages. Proportion of library catalogs digitized and available through the library website |
Condition of closed storage rooms, principle of stock arrangement. Organization of open access to the library collection (what literature is presented in the public domain, indicative information in the collection) Analysis of the library’s computer base, equipment of employees’ workplaces, staffing of the process |
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Efficiency of inter-library exchange (or intra-system exchange): time for effective execution of a request |
Analysis of the organization of work from the moment the order is sent to the receipt of publications through interlibrary exchange (intra-system exchange) |
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Percentage of successfully completed interlibrary loan (or intra-library loan) orders |
Capabilities of a library providing interlibrary exchange (intra-system exchange) services: availability of publications and conditions for fulfilling orders |
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1.3. Equipment |
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The ratio of the number of automated user places and the number of library readers |
Does the number of automated user seats correspond to the target group(s) of readers? |
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Ratio of computer/hours and number of readers |
Time (in hours) on average per year of availability of an automated location for each user (including from target group) |
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Library area per reader |
Compliance with the area standards (sq. m) of premises intended for readers, including in open storage areas |
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The ratio of the number of seats (in the reading room) and the number of readers |
Compliance with standards for the organization of seats in the reading room (including for the target group - target groups of readers) |
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Library opening hours compared to reader demand |
Correspondence of library availability times to the wishes of users, including potential ones (survey) |
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1.4. Staff |
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Ratio of number of employees and number of library users |
Are there enough employees to work with readers (including the target group - target groups). Correct staffing |
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2.Usage This group of indicators/indicators measures the efficiency of use of resources and services |
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2.1 . Funds |
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Fund turnover |
The ratio of the total volume of the fund and the number of issues per year (you can add analysis for individual thematic areas, as well as for new receipts: for the year, for the last 3 years, 5 years) |
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The ratio of the volume of output and the number of readers (readability) |
Number of publications issued per year per reader (including from the target group - target groups) |
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Share of unused funds |
Proportion of funds not used during the year (3-5 years): does not meet the needs of readers; is not disclosed appropriately; is in unsatisfactory condition; |
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Number of downloaded information (including files) per reader |
Value and interest for readers of the library’s electronic resources (DBs, E-journals and individual documents in digital format) |
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The share of publications from the total volume of funds used directly in the library itself per reader |
What is the efficiency of the reading room; open access to funds. Are the library conditions favorable for readers to work in? |
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2.2 . Access |
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Number of visits per reader (attendance) |
The intensity of library visits by certain categories of readers (including those from the target group - target groups). “Physical” and “virtual” visits are taken into account (library website, individual pages of the website) |
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Number of help requests per reader |
Accounting and analysis of reference requests (including requests from readers from the target group - target groups) inside the library and outside throughout the year |
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Share of reference requests sent via electronic means communications |
Library capabilities to satisfy reference requests via electronic channels (e-mail, online reference service, etc.) |
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Share of external readers |
Analysis and assessment of the role of the library in education, culture, social life and development of the territory. Number of active readers who do not belong to the target group(s) |
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Share of total book distribution to readers not belonging to the target group(s) |
What part of the search results comes from readers who do not belong to the target group(s) |
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Statistics of participation in cultural and leisure events of the library per reader |
Intensity of visits from readers from the target group(s) of library events. Matching activities to user needs |
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Statistics of participation in library educational events per reader |
Readers' needs for library educational activities. Matching the number of training activities to user needs |
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2.3. Equipment |
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Average number of visits per reading room seat. Number of permanently empty seats |
Analysis of the correspondence of the number of reading places to the needs of readers and the level of use of reading places. |
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Usage rate of automated user places |
Intensity of use of computer seats. Matching the number of computers to the needs of readers |
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2.4. General issues |
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Share of attracted users, including from the target group(s) |
Application
Sample list of library services
I. Services to library users
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Name of service |
Unit of account/measurement |
Basic (and additional) statistical indicators |
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Issuance of documents or their copies for temporary use: on a subscription, in the reading room (other services within the library: Central Library, document copying service, etc.); in non-stationary form (dispensing point, library bus parking); via communication channels (IBA, VSO, EDD). |
copy |
Number of book issues (Number of users, visits, structural divisions, library points - to calculate relative indicators) |
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Service (at home, at the enterprise, at a place of rest, at a place of treatment, etc.) |
form of service (library point, library bus parking, etc.) |
Number of service forms/number of users/number of book issues | |
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Pre-order literature by request, by phone, by e-mail, through the Internet |
order/document |
Number of orders/number of book issues | |
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Informing users about the possibilities of satisfying requests using other libraries (VSO, MBA, EDD) |
certificate/subscriber (IBA, |
Number of certificates/number of subscribers/number of book issues | |
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Extension of the period for using documents |
copy |
Number of book issues | |
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Sign up for the library. Issuance of a library card (single library card) |
user/ticket |
Number of users, including single sign-on | |
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Organization of funds: distribution by departments (subscription, reading room, etc.); ensuring accessibility (open, closed funds); having your own electronic resource(EB); availability of network access |
copy |
Number of copies in the fund/number in the public domain Number of electronic documents (electronic volume) Number of local history (local) documents | |
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Replenishment of collections with literature on current issues in accordance with user needs |
copy |
Number of receipts/number of current documents | |
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Querying documents or topics |
request/document |
Number of requests/book lending (it is possible to assess the compliance of library collections with user needs) | |
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Ordering documents from other libraries |
order/document |
Number of orders/book issues | |
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Informing subscriber users about new additions to the library collection and the composition of the collection: individual; collective; massive |
Information note/exhibition |
Number of certificates/exhibitions + Number of subscribers (individual, collective information)/visitors of exhibitions | |
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Informing subscriber users through the library website |
appeal/virtual certificate |
Number of requests/number of certificates | |
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Organization of reference and bibliographic apparatus: catalogs (EC, card), card indexes, databases (bibliographic, address, full-text), reference collection (a resource for providing reference, bibliographic and information services) |
bibliographic record/copy |
Number of records in EC, databases/number of borrowed records (Number of copies in the reference collection) Compliance of the composition and completeness of the SBA with the needs of users | |
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Consulting in finding information on working with reference and search systems |
consultation |
Number of consultations/number of certificates received (number of users who sought advice and received certificates) | |
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Bibliographic, information, reference services |
user/service (bibliographic reference, review, thematic selection, etc.) |
Number of user-subscribers (individuals, legal entities)/number of services (by type) | |
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Training users in the skills of using reference and bibliographic apparatus, catalogues, card indexes, databases, documentary sources, network information (Internet) |
Lesson/consultation |
Number of students/amount of time for training/consultations | |
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Educational tours of the library |
Lesson/excursion |
Number of excursions/number of participants | |
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Organization of cultural, educational and leisure events and events (lectures, festivals, competitions, exhibitions, presentations, meetings with creative and public figures, conferences, etc.) |
event |
Number of events/number of visits | |
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Organization of clubs (based on interests), associations (local history, amateur, etc.) |
form of participation (association, club) |
Number of forms of participation/number of participants/number of visits (the library prepares materials for them: book lending; exhibitions: information) | |
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Compilation and publication of local history products (bibliographic aids, reference books, prospectuses The concept of reforming the budget process in Russian Federation in years. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 000 of 01.01.2001 All-Russian classifier of services to the population. Approved by Decree of the State Standard of the Russian Federation No. 000 dated January 1, 2001. To describe this situation, fragments of the International Guide to Measuring the Performance of Universities and Others are used. scientific libraries“Measuring the Quality of Work” (authors: Roswitha Poll, Peter te Bockhorst, etc.) The text of the guide has been adapted for use in public libraries. The list of indicators for a particular library can be supplemented or reduced by indicators that best characterize the specifics of its activities: indicators can and should be interpreted in the context of the functions and goals of a particular library and adjusted in the process of changes affecting its development. This indicative list of indicators/indicators uses indicators from international standard ISO 11620 “Library Performance Indicators”, as well as indicators included in the “System of criteria for assessing the performance of budgetary institutions”, recommended by the Department of Economics and Finance of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation in accordance with the Concept of reforming the budget process and the Concept of administrative reform. |
Basic terms and definitions service quality standard - a system of requirements for services in the interests of its recipients, including characteristics of the processes, forms, content and results of the provision of these services, adopted by the regulatory legal act service quality - a set of characteristics of a service that determine its ability to satisfy the needs of the recipient in relation to the result of the service quality of service - a set of characteristics of the process and conditions for the provision of a service that ensure satisfaction of the needs of the recipient in relation to the process of providing the service; assessment of service quality - a quantitative or qualitative determination of the degree of compliance with the service quality indicator established requirements, a service (service) quality indicator is a quantitative characteristic of one or more properties of a service (service) that make up its (its) quality; a service (service) quality level is a relative characteristic of the service (service) quality, based on a comparison of the actual values of its (its) indicators ) quality with standard values of these indicators
Quality management Defining the library's mission and core user group Identifying existing and expected user needs Setting long-term goals and short-term goals Creating services that meet needs Providing those services to the highest possible level Measuring performance and comparing it to goals
Measuring operational effectiveness Measuring operational effectiveness is the collection of statistical and other data describing the work of the library, and the analysis of this data in order to evaluate its effectiveness. Operational effectiveness is the level at which the library achieves its goals, taking into account the needs of users. Operational performance indicator - quantitative indicator, used to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of a library in carrying out its assigned tasks.
The main characteristics of a performance indicator are actionable - the indicator is used to answer a specific question, and the result of its measurement must provide an answer to this question reliable - free from ambiguity, i.e. accurate, reproducible - the same things must be calculated or measured in the same way (the efficiency of one library/library department at different points in time or the efficiency of several libraries/library departments useful - not only to identify what is happening, but also to allow one to interpret the level of quality, shortcomings and provide assistance in finding improvements convenient - “friendly” » in relation to the user
Indicators of social efficiency of activities: number of library users (persons) and change in their number compared to last year (%); number of documents issued (copies) and change in its number compared to last year (%); number of visits (persons) and change in their number compared to last year (%); coverage of the population with library services (% of library visitors from the total number of residents of the serviced territory); number of events held by the library per year (units) and their average attendance; share of activities designed to serve the socially less protected age groups: children and teenagers, pensioners, people with disabilities, etc. (% of the total number of events held); the share of new forms of library and information services for users in the total number of specialized services provided by the library.
Indicators of economic efficiency of activities income from the statutory and entrepreneurial activity per one library specialist (thousand rubles); income from statutory and entrepreneurial activities per square meter of area (thousand rubles); the cost of one visit to the library (in rubles) and its change (increase, decrease) compared to last year (%); the cost of one issue of library documents (in rubles) and its change (increase, decrease) compared to last year (%); specific gravity expenses for acquisition of library collections from total expenses (%); specific gravity budget financing in the cost of library visits per year (%); share of budget funding in the cost of issuing library documents for the year (%); average salary of a library worker (RUB/month) and its level compared to the monthly average wages in the region (%).
Indicators production efficiency activities number of visits per sq. m area; number of documents issued per library specialist (copies); number of readers per library specialist (persons).
Indicators of the effectiveness of the general use of the library and its facilities User coverage - determines the extent to which library services are in demand by those who belong to the main group of users. The level of coverage of users by category (group), as well as differentiation by type of services provided, provides valuable information for library management and can assist in improving specific services. Matching the library's work schedule to the needs of users In real conditions, there is always a gap between the opening hours convenient for readers and the library's ability to implement these wishes, limited financial resources and available staff. And despite the fact that network technologies allow libraries to provide some services 24 hours a day, there is an urgent need to organize the issuance of documents to your home and reading room at any time throughout the week. Measuring this need can help decide whether and when the library should increase its hours of operation.
Method for assessing the compliance of the library's work schedule with user needs User survey Compliance with requirements Number of respondents Even distribution of questionnaires during library working hours and library working days
Questions for the survey 1. Are you satisfied with the library's opening hours: quite satisfied satisfied rather satisfied dissatisfied completely dissatisfied 2. Please indicate the time when you would additionally like to have access to the library Hours MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Adoption management decisions based on the results of the survey A clear division of the wishes expressed during the survey into expedient and inexpedient 1. Providing access to the library without providing a full range of services during hours or days when the library is not open 2. Possible increase in the length of the working day in an experimental mode for 1-2 months (for example, on the days of the week most actively visited by readers) 3. Possible increase in the length of the library's opening hours by reducing opening hours on the least visited days, subject to the consent of readers to make such a decision
Analysis of the intensity of visits during library opening hours Opening hours TuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Fund quality performance indicators Fund use - designed to evaluate all ways of using the library collection: issuance through subscription, in the reading room and other service points. Collection utilization by subject area - determines how well the library's resource allocation and acquisition policies meet user needs. The library receives information about whether it is spending funds correctly on purchasing publications in certain subject areas. Unused documents - determines which part of the fund was not claimed.
Method for assessing the use of the fund Number of documents issued on a subscription for a certain period Number of documents issued in a reading room for the same period Total number of documents in a fund (fund volume) Calculation: Documents issued on a subscription + documents issued in a reading room / fund volume
Possible results 1. The fund may be used ineffectively for various reasons: insufficient number of copies of frequently requested literature; the time for issuing documents (for example, on a subscription) is too long; other libraries provide a wider range of literature in some subject areas; the fund is “cluttered” with doublet, little-requested or outdated literature 2. Factors influencing the volume of documents issued at the subscription and reading room during different periods: percentage of the fund presented in the public domain, library opening hours; the influence of users’ habit of giving preference to working with documents at home or in the library Several reviews on Rostov blogs on the Internet about the Don Public Library: “Suggest a Rostov library where it is possible to take books home. It is desirable that the library have an electronic catalog of books for visitors, and that the library be larger. Previously, in this regard, it was very convenient to use the Don Public Library, but now they don’t give books home, and this is very inconvenient for me!” “The atmosphere must be admittedly magical! There are plants everywhere: flowers, miniature trees and palm trees. And, yes, fountains turning into swimming pools... it’s a pleasure to draw information from this building, but... it turned out that in this temple of knowledge there is severe discrimination based on the principle of registration! They DID NOT ISSUE books to people who were not registered in this big city.”
Interpretation of results I High performance readability, circulation, availability of books Indicate relatively effective use funds Reserves for improving use in further improving the disclosure of the fund, increasing circulation along with a proportional increase in book availability II High circulation, low readability, low book availability Low book availability indicates an insufficient choice of documents for library users. Low readability indicates insufficiently organized propaganda of publications. Thus, the high turnover in this group does not allow us to talk about the effective use of individual sections of the fund. Reserves for increasing the efficiency of using funds in increasing the volume of the fund, which will lead to an improvement in the book supply indicator, as well as in strengthening the propaganda of the fund III High circulation, high readability, low book supply High rates of readability and circulation indicate a fairly intensive use of the fund It is necessary to increase the volume of funds. An increase in the volume of new receipts will increase the book supply and expand opportunities to meet the information needs of users, which in turn will lead to a further increase in readability IV Low values of circulation and readability, high book supply The values of these indicators reflect the negative side of the acquisition of funds, the inconsistency of its composition with the interests and demands of users. The fund is oversaturated. It is necessary to study the composition and use of the fund, free it from outdated, non-core, doublet literature and replenish it with documents that correspond to the composition, interests and requests of users in terms of topics and types of publications, as well as in terms of copies. Reserves for improving the efficiency of use should also be sought in a qualitative improvement in the propaganda of the fund.
Interpretation of the results V Low circulation, high readability, high book supply Library funds are oversaturated. It is necessary to free it from outdated, non-core, doublet literature VI Low circulation, low readability, low book supply The collection policy must be radically changed. It is necessary to increase the volume of library collections through the acquisition of new documents that correspond to the composition, interests and requests of users in terms of topics and types of publications, as well as in terms of copies. The amount of receipts should significantly exceed the amount of disposal.
Method for assessing the use of the fund by subject area or type of document Determines the degree of use of the fund and its quality Subject area (Type of document) Percentage of funding for completing the subject area (or type of document) Percentage of new receipts of documents in the subject area (or type of document) Percentage of issuing documents in the subject area ( or type of document) Ecology 8,154,903.58 Law 1,551,653.94 Calculations: Percentage of funding for acquisition of a subject area = volume financial resources spent on completing a certain branch of knowledge (type of document) X 100 / total volume of funds spent on acquisition Percentage of new receipts of the subject area (type of document) = volume of new receipts of the subject area (type of document) X 100 / total volume of new receipts Percentage of issuing documents of the subject area (type of document) = volume of issuing documents of the subject area (type of document) X 100 / total volume of issuing documents
Interpretation of the results A relationship is established between the three estimates obtained: Percentage of documents issued (L) / per percentage of annual receipts (I), Percentage of documents issued (L) / per cent of annual funding for acquisition (A) The average value of the two numbers obtained as a result of division determines degree of use (L/I + L/A) / 2 =DU Subject area (Document type) L/IL/A DU degree of use Balance will be achieved if the percentages of issuance, receipt and funding for acquisition in the subject area are approximately equal. In this case, the utilization rate is 1. If the subject area is underutilized, the picking profile may need to be changed.
Indicator “Search by title” Determines the success of the library in creating a catalog as a tool for the reader to effectively search for a document by its title. Analysis of the reader’s skills in using the catalog provides information about the correctness of the elements of the bibliographic description used to search, about familiarity with various types catalogues, knowledge of cataloging rules. Accordingly, this indicator is the basis for making decisions about improving user training. The indicator also helps to identify the following facts: the catalog is complete, the catalog has shortcomings (for example, missing cross-references do not allow the reader to easily find the document he is interested in), the interface of the electronic catalog (commands, reference information, etc.) is user-friendly. Library with closed access to the fund is more interested in studying this indicator, since the catalog is an intermediate link between the user and the documents of interest to him.
Methods for assessing the indicator “Search by title” Users performing a search in a card or electronic catalog are asked to fill out a form: Status (student, teacher, graduate student) Bibliographic description elements used for searching Whether the document (accession number) was found or not Information about 200 titles is considered sufficient to obtain reliable results. Calculation: Search success rate - number of titles that were found in the catalog / total number of titles in the sample x 100 Fault error rate libraries - number titles not found due to errors made by the library/per total number of titles in the sample x 100
Indicator “IBA Efficiency” Study of order fulfillment from various libraries in order to compare the quality of work of IBA services and determine the rate of successful order fulfillment. Methods: Continuously – results are summarized monthly, quarterly, annually. Allows you to identify problems as they arise and, accordingly, immediately solve them. Once - to determine the level successful work libraries. Episodically, at certain intervals. The sample size can be at least 100 titles for a rough estimate and around 300/400 for an accurate result. Data Collection Each request must be coded so that the information required for the survey is recorded in the reporting document. The following data must be entered: date of receipt of the request from the user, date of the order under the IBA, date of receipt of the document
Indicator “IBA Efficiency” Order receivedOrder by IBA Number of days (A) Document received Number of days (B) Total number of days (C) A - number of days between the moment of ordering and receipt of the document B - duration of mailing C - total number of days related to the request
